title: The validity of take-home surgical simulators to enhance resident technical skill proficiency.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is unknown whether surgical residents who learn minimal-access surgery skills in an unstructured environment (ie, at home), will develop a technical skill set that rivals that of those trained in the more traditional, structured learning environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven surgery residents were provided structured learning through didactic and hands-on skills training sessions and consistent supervision throughout training. A second group of 7 residents participated in an unstructured learning curriculum of training without supervision. End points were determined at the end of training using a standardized simulator based on predetermined performance measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups achieved high task scores, with comparable scores on gesture proficiency, hand movement smoothness, instrument movement smoothness, errors, and time elapsed. There was no significant difference between group differences in final skills scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unstructured learning is equally effective in delivering quality skills training when compared with structured training.
authors.affiliation: Phoenix Integrated Surgical Residency, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Uccelli
authors.forename: Kanav
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kahol
authors.forename: Aaron
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ashby
authors.forename: Marshall
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D007858:Learning; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D015203:Reproducibility of Results